What Makes a Sloth Turn Green?

What Makes a Sloth Turn Green?

Meet the brown-throated sloth, one of the two species of sloth native to Costa Rica. Sloths have a reputation for a being one of the slowest moving animals on earth. In fact, a sloth's slow lifestyle allows algae to grow in its fur, causing its coat to develop a green tint. The green fur is useful camouflage for the sloth as it navigates through the treetops.

See more of Costa Rica's charismatic wildlife in Untamedfrom Nat Geo Wild. Follow filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade and his two best friends as they travel throughout Costa Rica in search of the most diverse, iconic and unexpected animal species the country has to offer.

What Makes a Sloth Turn Green?

Meet the brown-throated sloth, one of the two species of sloth native to Costa Rica. Sloths have a reputation for a being one of the slowest moving animals on earth. In fact, a sloth's slow lifestyle allows algae to grow in its fur, causing its coat to develop a green tint. The green fur is useful camouflage for the sloth as it navigates through the treetops.

See more of Costa Rica's charismatic wildlife in Untamedfrom Nat Geo Wild. Follow filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade and his two best friends as they travel throughout Costa Rica in search of the most diverse, iconic and unexpected animal species the country has to offer.